Sunday, December 30, 2012

Just a reminder that Joan's special charity edition of 'Deal or no Deal' will screen on C4 on New Years Day.. Joan playing for the Shooting Star Chase Children's Hopices is joined by daughter Tara, brother Bill and wife Hazel, friends including Glynis Barber, Michael Brandon, Helen Lederer, Ivan Massow and Emma Samms.. Here is a great promo for the show...

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Joan currently enjoying Christmas in New York, met up with good friend Alana Stewart to film an exciting new project! I recently read Alana's new autobiography 'Rearview Mirror' and how wonderful it was... Well worth picking up! Here is a lovely shot of both good friends.. Thanks to Alana for sharing!

Joan attended Michael Feinstein's 'A Gershwin Holiday Show' at Feinstein's last night.. The legendary night club will close it's doors next week after a run of shows featuring Michael and club regular Christine Ebersole... Here is an exclusive photo of Joan with Michael Feinstein and Jack Rich, both good friends of Joan, who looks suitably festive for the season that's in it!

From the Comic Strips by William Gaines Edited by Teddy Darvas Executive Producer - Charles W Fries Produced by Milton Subotsky

Directed by Freddie Francis

Whilst taking a tour of the Catacombs, five people are seperated from the group and find themselves trapped in a large chamber. Soon after they are joined by the mysterious Crypt Keeper and thus begins their journey into the unknown! Each in turn is shown the future..Or is it?

"All Through The House" Joanne Clayton is seen to murder her husband on Christmas Eve.. Only to become a victim herself!

"Reflection of Death"

Carl Maitland is having an affair and leaves his wife, only to become involved in a car crash with horrific results!

"Poetic Justice"

USA VIDEO SLEEVE

James Elliot, out of his own greed, torments an old neighbour who commits suicide, but returns to exact revenge!

"Wish You Were Here"

Ralph Jason and his wife Enid are given three wishes, but with each wish comes a never ending nightmare!

" Blind Alley's"

William Rogers, the new superintendent at a home for the blind, has no mercy for his residents and deprives them of proper food or heating. But the blind men plan their revenge, with Rogers to suffer a terrible fate!

The Crypt Keeper finishes his tales and tells all five to leave. As they depart, they begin to realise that the tales they have been told was their own pasts and now they are destined for the fires of hell!!

"Tales From The Crypt" is now regarded as a horror classic and is one of the most popular films produced by classic horror studio, Amicus. The company also gave us many similar films such as, "Dr Terror's House Of Horror's", "Asylum", "House That Dripped Blood", "From Beyond The Grave", "Torture Garden" and a follow up to "Tales From The Crypt" called "Vault of Horror". Joan's segment is one of the best and she carries the whole episode herself, as the icy murderess, who kills her husband on Christmas Eve. Joan was paid £10,000 for her one week stint on the film, which was shot at Shepperton Studios, with locations around London, using some of it's eerie mansions, including the old Guiness house. Director Freddie Francis filled the house with a quarter of a million dollars worth of antiques. When producer Subotsky found out, he hired security guards to watch the set. Highgate cemetery was used for he opening sequences, but only after the producers had to cut through endless red tape. The reason was that Karl Marx is buried there and officials did not want the grounds crawling with people. The production was Freddie Francis's seventh film for Amicus and his fifth with star Peter Cushing, who ended up a ghoul in his segment and had to spend several hours in makeup every day to get the look. Peter commented at the time...

JOAN CAN'T FIND THE RENT MONEY!

" When I saw myself in it.. I was horrified!"

Peter played the role of a widower in the film, which was timely, as his own wife Helen had died of cancer the year before, which had caused him to withdraw from Hammer's "Blood From The Mummy's Tomb". He had originally been slated to play the Richard Greene role in "Tales From The Crypt", but felt he could play the Grimsdyke part much better.

Sir Ralph Richardson, who was seventy at the time, came to the set on his motor-bike, much to the protests of his wife! The film received an X rating in the UK at the time and was cut by a few minutes to gain this cert. The most notable cuts are in the episode, "Wish You Were Here", as Richard Greene's intestines are on view! Joan was popular with the cast and crew and earned these comments.

Milton Subotsky..

"Joan was very co-operative. She stayed overtime and was no problem at all."

JOAN GIVE'S HER HUBBY A HEADACHE!

Freddie Francis..

" Joan was very professional and very good. She is that type, who when she comes on the set and gets in front of the camera, that's her camera! It is not a selfishness.If you offer yourself as a star to a film, you should project yourself into that camera!"

﻿

UK DVD COVER

Joan would work with Freddie on another portmanteau film called "Tales That Witness Madness", a few years later. During the shoot it took her six takes to murder her husband (Martin Boddey), she quipped to the crew.

"It's getting more and more difficult to murder your husband these days!"

Reviews of the film included.

NEW YORK TIMES..

"If "Tales From The Crypt", had any style what so ever, the philandering husband's dream would not come through.. The blind men would probably fail and we might find ourselves rooting for Joan, in her extremity, despite her momentary lapse in manners! Unfortunately the only style exhibited by Freddie Francis and Milton Subotsky, is in their dumb appreciation for ancient plot devices and silly supernatural effects."

Despite the mixed reviews, the film is a cult classic and is still an entertaining journey into the unknown!

Joan looking suitably attired as she arrives at JFK in NY before attending the closing night of 'Feinstein's at The Regency' which closed it's doors for a revamp with a VIP party thrown by 'Selling New York' stars Tom Postilio & Mickey Conlon for their VIP clients..

Joan is featured here with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby among others at a reception whilst filming 'The Road To Hong Kong' in 1962.. Please note from today all vintage and non press photos will features a water mark for copyright reasons, due to photo's featured here appearing elsewhere!

Friday, December 14, 2012

Joan took time out of her busy schedule to check out the new exhibition at Somerset House which celebrates the life and career of her friend and favourite designer Valentino.. The exhibition which runs till March 3rd 2013 features over 130 couture designs by The Master Of Couture... Here is an exclusive shot of Joan at the exhibition...